I’m fantasizing about endurance (which is not going to happen with current much-loved horse), and was curious as to why the deepest part of the seat in an endurance-style saddle seems to be so far back, compared with your standard English saddle. Any saddle nerds able to comment?
(I will not buy an endurance saddle for horse who is not physically capable of long trail rides… I will not buy an endurance saddle for horse who is not physically capable of long trail rides… )
Are you comparing it to a jump saddle or a dressage saddle?
I think people can start out in endurance with a comfy dressage saddle. I do 4 and 5 hour mountain rides in mine. I don’t think I would be doing a 10 hour ride in any saddle! I am secure going up or down any hill that I feel is safe, and have done some gnarly trails.
I had my saddle fitter add 4 D rings to the cantle and I got some leather thongs (long leather work Boot laces) so I can tie a jacket on the back now.
The endurance saddles appear to have the deepest part well back of where the deepest part is on a dressage saddle, a jump saddle, or an all-purpose saddle. My dressage saddle is perfectly comfy and secure for horse and rider for the trailriding that we do; just wondering why the endurance saddle looks to position the rider so differently. It seems like sitting that far back would be more uncomfortable for the horse, after a few hours, than with the rider’s weight more forward. Plus the whole chair seat thing with legs.
I think a lot of the really good endurance saddles (good being the optimum word here) put you in a correct position for being in the saddle for 50 miles. You want to have a longer leg, deeper seat for comfort, and other factors. Of course, every saddle is different, My saddle is technically a dressage/endurance saddle (arabian saddle company Solstice). Already came with all the d-rings, good secure seat and knee rolls (for the exuberant first 20 miles!). For me it has been comfortable up to 50 miles (and yes, that includes some 10-12 hour ride days) as well as for technical canyon riding in Tevis country.
Your horse might not be capable of endurance rides, but a comfortable saddle for long hours is always a benefit (yes, enabler here, buy the saddle if you want one!)
I have found the seat location of most endurance saddles to be fairly similar to the seat placement of dressage saddles, but there is def a lot more pommel on an endurance saddle. Perhaps its a bit of an optical illusion?
One of our geldings started out in a Rubicon (which is a dressage-based distance saddle) and now goes in a Pandora. If you look at side-on pics of me sitting on him, I am in the same place regardless of what saddle my rear is in.
Phantomhorse, your videos are one of the main factors behind all this fantasizing. You are no help. 
But, yes, it’s all that pommel that I was asking about. Thank you for the perspective. Wishing you a wonderful 2020 trail season, whenever it’s allowed to get here!
Irish_horse, I would love to act on the enabling, but I’m afraid we already have a very comfy dressage saddle, semi-custom made for horse, that feels like “coming home” every time I sit in it. Hoping you have many chances in the coming months to appreciate everything that is good about 10+ hours in a good saddle on a good horse!
I hope you both will keep us posted on your adventures, so we can live vicariously through you.
I also ride distance in my comfy dressage saddle. The only changes I’ve made are a full saddle sheepskin cover and endurance stirrups.
The Stubben Scout, a police and military saddle, would be a good choice for endurance riding. It’s a bit heavier than some but very comfortable and durable. It doesn’t put the rider in any specific “seat.” I’ve been riding one since 2003 on our Marchadors and it just works.
Re gaited horses, we’ve had both laterally gaited and diagonally gaited Marchadors. The saddle works equally well with both.
G.
I have ridden and competed in a lot of different saddles. One of the best things about distance riding is that if it works for you and your horse- go for it. My now retired Morgan mare went in a Tucker Trooper Light, my current Morgan goes in a Specialized Eurolight or a Barefoot Tahoe, my RMH and my TWH are both in Bob Marshalls but didn’t versions of course. My Arab that I sold went in a Stubben dressage saddle or a Podium. So in other words, this is probably not a helpful post at all lol.
That’s alright, TR. I wasn’t really asking for saddle recommendations, so much as just wondering if there was a reason that the seat of some endurance saddles appeared to put the rider’s weight further back in the saddle. But, it doesn’t really matter; working from home is somehow so much busier than my usual routine, I can’t get out to see the fella until too late to ride, and he hates me. I am getting treated to the big fat Morgan butt when I drive out at night with a bucket of soaked cubes and a guilty conscience.
lol- I definitely got to rambling. But to your original question most of the endurance models seem to really put your legs underneath you- helps a lot with balance when you are up out of the saddle a lot and going up and down steep stuff.
Different eras held different ideas of the “ideal seat” for different activities. So did different cultures or different schools of thought in some culture during some era. These ideas sometimes live a long time in the saddle world as saddles and designs can have very long lives even if the design has shown one or more flaws. Getting specific ideas from different people can be helpful if, at the same time, they can talk about conformation (equine and humine ;)) and the provenance of the saddle and design.
As an example, if you look at jumping styles in the late 19th century you’ll see people in “chair seats” and “forked seats” taking some impressive heights. But you’ll cringe if you have modern knowledge of the “forward seat.” In the gaited world putting your butt hard back on the cantle was considered the best way to get a quality gait. Modern people who understand the stress such a seat put on the the equine spine cringe at that. Yet the saddles that accommodated those practices are still around and still used. When I bought my first gaited horse in 1988 I was taught that “butt back on the cantle” method. Look at show videos of Walkers from that era (even the light shod and barefoot pleasure horses) and you’ll cringe, too.
Old does not always equal “bad” an new does not always equal “good.” You still have to match the horse and rider conformation to the requirement of the discipline.
G.
Another point to consider as well is the position you intend to use - and the saddle type which would help you the most.
I did 60-80milers in my jump saddle as a kid. Because a) it fit my OTTB, b) we were instructed to vary our position throughout the race and to mostly canter in a 2-point. (and if you’ve ever tried to do a 2-point in a dressage saddle - you know how “painful” that can be 
)
If on the other end, you plan on having the UAE “Harley Davidson” deep seat - then a jump saddle of course would be quite uncomfortable long term (and that seat far in the back you’re seeing in some endurance saddle would make it easier).
You’ll see a lot of variety in terms of position at races (some less than “academic” ahem) - the key is just to be balanced and not overload your horse.
I think it’s because the theory is during hours in the saddle, you want a bit of room to move around in to relieve pressure points.
My experience with this has been in Tucker saddles. I ride in an Tucker Equitation Endurance Saddle which is an english crossover saddle. Think western seat, english frame. According to Tucker’s seat size guidelines, I should be riding in a 16’5" seat in their saddles and this is what I bought initially. While the seat is comfortable, I find it a bit roomy and it puts me in a chair seat so that I find myself scooting forward in the trot and the canter in order to be more centered over my horse and stirrups. I’ve got this saddle up for sale now, because that kinda bugs me.
I went ahead and bought another in a 15.5" seat and am much happier in this saddle as I stay centered better.
Tucker enthusiasts seems to be of two minds: Some prefer more room in their saddles and are less concerned about being in a chair seat and the there are those who prefer a more snug and supportive seat with less real estate in the seat.
I rode english exclusively for decades. I have a Duett and an Abetta endurance for my mare. I prefer the Abetta as I have gotten older( more secure) but she prefers the Duett, so we do both…
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